Ascendancy

Aryante

Description:

Being good at your job benefits the many. Being great brings nothing but trouble. Once a man with unwavering faith to protect the innocent, now his quest goes one even if this body is gone.

Bio:

“No compromise, No matter the cost” – Armitius, Paladin of Justice.

From the first day a follower submit themselves to the services of Paladins of the Brink, the instructor hammers this point into every inch of their being. Be one of the special ones that standout and you get extra “attention”.

Nice going there genius.

That should have been the first sign that I was insane. I had a the life other could only dream off. I had wealth, power, women, ale and I threw it all away just for some adventure. I was young and eager to write myself into legend.

Took me 6 months to rise through the ranks to graduation. Should have seen the looks on the face my instructor. Basic training usually takes 4 years, guess I must have liked the extra “attention”. All the elders were there, all eager to see the “Prodigy” that will strike fear into the enemies of Yost and Balan. I was given my blade and my armor marked before my peers and just like that I was one off them.

Now the Paladins of the Brink are not your typical group of righteous warriors. We didn’t spend to much preaching the ways of Yost and Balan. No that was left to our sister group “The Order of the Missing Saints”. We were more the beat the living hell out off everything that threatens the pursuit of Justice. You could say we were a tad bit overzealous. While we didn’t outright persecute others for believing in the other gods we hunted down all manner of evil across the land that preys on the innocent. If our deeds of bravery managed to convert a few, that was a bonus.

Every day spent hunting down monsters and demons, going on adventures to rescue town and cities, recovering Holy Artifacts lost during the Great War. Sounds great right? Knowing this and still wanting to join this group should have been the second sign I was insane.

The third sign you ask? Why that comes a bit later. After 15 years in service to the Brink, I was still as “passionate” as ever. I had made a name for myself as one of the greatest Paladins of the generation. My name was known far and wide, story of my exploits like the slaying of the Dread Dragons or the time I held off the advance of the Frost Giants were woven into lore.

Now the life had taken its toll on me. My bones creak, my vision blurred, I could barely hold my sword and yet still I fought. I had every right to say I can’t go on, why I didn’t was the third sign.

The Brink soon got word of Demon emerging near a new city called Tanar. I have heard tales about this city and was as always eager to explore. So I was sent to deal with this threat, well more like I volunteered.

Dumb-ass.

And there I was, standing face to face with the abomination looming over the bodies of those it already has feasted on. The fury took over me and all of a sudden a years rolled of me. We fought for days, each side never relenting not giving and inch yet not able to take one. On the 10th day I broke the dead lock and struck a lethal blow to the heart on the beast.

However the beast managed to infect me with some kind of rot. I could feel myself wasting away inside my armor even as I looked at the life fade from the Demons eyes. The bastard must be cursing me as she fades. I hear her voice calling me, telling me that I am not done. Prick. Taunting me to the very end.

As I waste away, I write this to whoever that finds this.

Was it worth it? Given a choice would I do it again? Throw away the easy life, for the life of never ending battles.

In a heartbe

Extract from the journal of Jamlamin Chorster the Paladin of Light. Journal found at the site of his final battle with the Demon Pernicious, his armor however was never found.